Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

Australia
Breaking news

Nikil Abraham wins 2017 Sid Watkins scholarship

Indian student Nikil Abraham has won the Sid Watkins Scholarship for 2017, an initiative which offers a funded position in motor sport safety research.

Nikil Abraham, Sid Watkins Scholarship winner

Nikil Abraham, Sid Watkins Scholarship winner

Global Institute

Professor Sid Watkins presents the FIA InstituteCentre of Excellence trophy to Philippe Gurdjian
Crash test - frontal
Dr Sid Watkins
2001 side-impact crash test
A bronze statue and a book of condolences for the late Sid Watkins, Former FIA Safety Delegate
Crash test

Hailing from Tiruvalla in Kerala, Abraham holds a Masters Degree in Automotive Engineering from the FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences.

The Indian was chosen by a panel of experts including Formula 1 Managing Director Ross Brawn, German Motor Sport Federation Medical Director Michael Scholz and Global Institute General Manager Research Laurent Mekies.

Abraham said: "I am delighted to win the 2017 Watkins Scholarship and take up this role at the Global Institute.

"It is going to be a challenging but very interesting year and I look forward to continuing the legacy of Professor Watkins and making a real difference to the world of motor sport safety."

The Global Institute Chairman, Luc Argand, also commented: "We are pleased to welcome Nikil to the Global Institute as our second Watkins Scholarship recipient.

"He will be a true asset to our team as we continue our research to improve motor sport safety worldwide."

The scholarship, named after motorsport safety pioneer Professor Sid Watkins, is jointly funded by the FIA and the FIA Foundation.

Abraham has a one-year position with the Global Institute for Motor Sport Safety, the FIA's research partner based in Switzerland.

The Indian has already completed several periods of relevant work experience in the field.

He undertook an internship where he spent 'analysing whiplash injuries during rear-end crashes' for Toyota Motor Europe and also 'researching single vehicle accidents with road restraint barriers' at Trinity College Dublin.

Meanwhile, the inaugural winner Sameer Patel has worked on several projects in F1, WRC and other FIA championships, and has now taken up a full-time role with the FIA as a research engineer.

Be part of Motorsport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Details for inaugural event at Jukasa Motor Speedway announced
Next article Gill named Motorsports Person of the Year in FMSCI award

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

Australia